Πραξεις 12
1 κατ εκεινον δε τον καιρον επεβαλεν ηρωδης ο βασιλευς τας χειρας κακωσαι τινας των απο της εκκλησιας
Around this time King Herod began to persecute some members of the church.
2 ανειλεν δε ιακωβον τον αδελφον ιωαννου μαχαιρα
He had James, John's brother, executed by sword.
3 και ιδων οτι αρεστον εστιν τοις ιουδαιοις προσεθετο συλλαβειν και πετρον ησαν δε ημεραι των αζυμων
When he saw that the Jews were pleased by this, he had Peter arrested too. (This was during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.)
4 ον και πιασας εθετο εις φυλακην παραδους τεσσαρσιν τετραδιοις στρατιωτων φυλασσειν αυτον βουλομενος μετα το πασχα αναγαγειν αυτον τω λαω
After having Peter arrested, he threw him in prison, with four squads of four soldiers each to guard him. He planned to have Peter brought out for a public trial after the Passover.
5 ο μεν ουν πετρος ετηρειτο εν τη φυλακη προσευχη δε ην εκτενης γινομενη υπο της εκκλησιας προς τον θεον υπερ αυτου
While Peter was kept in prison the church prayed earnestly to God for him.
6 οτε δε εμελλεν αυτον προαγειν ο ηρωδης τη νυκτι εκεινη ην ο πετρος κοιμωμενος μεταξυ δυο στρατιωτων δεδεμενος αλυσεσιν δυσιν φυλακες τε προ της θυρας ετηρουν την φυλακην
The night before Herod was to have him put on trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, chained to each of them, and with guards at the door keeping watch.
7 και ιδου αγγελος κυριου επεστη και φως ελαμψεν εν τω οικηματι παταξας δε την πλευραν του πετρου ηγειρεν αυτον λεγων αναστα εν ταχει και εξεπεσον αυτου αι αλυσεις εκ των χειρων
Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the cell. The angel shook Peter awake, saying “Quick! Get up!” The chains fell from his wrists,
8 ειπεν τε ο αγγελος προς αυτον περιζωσαι και υποδησαι τα σανδαλια σου εποιησεν δε ουτως και λεγει αυτω περιβαλου το ιματιον σου και ακολουθει μοι
and the angel told him, “Get dressed, and put on your sandals.” So he did. Then the angel told him, “Put on your coat and follow me.”
9 και εξελθων ηκολουθει αυτω και ουκ ηδει οτι αληθες εστιν το γινομενον δια του αγγελου εδοκει δε οραμα βλεπειν
So Peter followed the angel out. He didn't realize that what the angel was doing was actually happening—he thought he was seeing a vision.
10 διελθοντες δε πρωτην φυλακην και δευτεραν ηλθον επι την πυλην την σιδηραν την φερουσαν εις την πολιν ητις αυτοματη ηνοιχθη αυτοις και εξελθοντες προηλθον ρυμην μιαν και ευθεως απεστη ο αγγελος απ αυτου
They passed the first and second sets of guards, and came to the iron gate that led into the city. This opened for them by itself. They went out and down the street, when suddenly the angel left him.
11 και ο πετρος γενομενος εν εαυτω ειπεν νυν οιδα αληθως οτι εξαπεστειλεν κυριος τον αγγελον αυτου και εξειλετο με εκ χειρος ηρωδου και πασης της προσδοκιας του λαου των ιουδαιων
When Peter came to his senses, he said, “Now I realize this really happened! The Lord sent an angel to rescue me from Herod's power, and from everything that the Jewish people had planned.”
12 συνιδων τε ηλθεν επι την οικιαν μαριας της μητρος ιωαννου του επικαλουμενου μαρκου ου ησαν ικανοι συνηθροισμενοι και προσευχομενοι
Now that he was conscious of what had happened, Peter went to the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark. Many believers had gathered there, and were praying.
13 κρουσαντος δε του πετρου την θυραν του πυλωνος προσηλθεν παιδισκη υπακουσαι ονοματι ροδη
When he knocked on the gateway door, a servant girl called Rhoda came to open up.
14 και επιγνουσα την φωνην του πετρου απο της χαρας ουκ ηνοιξεν τον πυλωνα εισδραμουσα δε απηγγειλεν εσταναι τον πετρον προ του πυλωνος
But recognizing Peter's voice, in her excitement she didn't open the door. Instead she ran back inside shouting, “Peter's at the door!”
15 οι δε προς αυτην ειπον μαινη η δε διισχυριζετο ουτως εχειν οι δ ελεγον ο αγγελος αυτου εστιν
“You're mad!” they told her. But she kept on insisting it was true. So they said, “It must be his angel.”
16 ο δε πετρος επεμενεν κρουων ανοιξαντες δε ειδον αυτον και εξεστησαν
Peter continued knocking. When they did eventually open the door, they saw it was him, and were totally shocked.
17 κατασεισας δε αυτοις τη χειρι σιγαν διηγησατο αυτοις πως ο κυριος αυτον εξηγαγεν εκ της φυλακης ειπεν δε απαγγειλατε ιακωβω και τοις αδελφοις ταυτα και εξελθων επορευθη εις ετερον τοπον
Peter held up his hand for them to be quiet, and then explained to them how the Lord had led him out of the prison. “Let James and the brothers know about this,” he told them, and then left to go somewhere else.
18 γενομενης δε ημερας ην ταραχος ουκ ολιγος εν τοις στρατιωταις τι αρα ο πετρος εγενετο
When daylight came the soldiers were totally confused as to what had happened to Peter.
19 ηρωδης δε επιζητησας αυτον και μη ευρων ανακρινας τους φυλακας εκελευσεν απαχθηναι και κατελθων απο της ιουδαιας εις την καισαρειαν διετριβεν
Herod had a thorough search made for him, but he couldn't be found. After interrogating the guards, Herod ordered that they should be executed. Then Herod left Judea and went to stay in Caesarea.
20 ην δε ο ηρωδης θυμομαχων τυριοις και σιδωνιοις ομοθυμαδον δε παρησαν προς αυτον και πεισαντες βλαστον τον επι του κοιτωνος του βασιλεως ητουντο ειρηνην δια το τρεφεσθαι αυτων την χωραν απο της βασιλικης
Now Herod had become furious with the people of Tyre and Sidon. They sent a joint delegation to see him and managed to win Blastus, the king's personal assistant, over to their side. They pleaded for peace with Herod because they were dependent on the king's territory for food.
21 τακτη δε ημερα ο ηρωδης ενδυσαμενος εσθητα βασιλικην και καθισας επι του βηματος εδημηγορει προς αυτους
When the day came for their appointment with the king, Herod put on his royal robes, sat on his throne, and gave a speech to them.
22 ο δε δημος επεφωνει θεου φωνη και ουκ ανθρωπου
The audience shouted in response, “This is the voice of a god, not that of a man!”
23 παραχρημα δε επαταξεν αυτον αγγελος κυριου ανθ ων ουκ εδωκεν την δοξαν τω θεω και γενομενος σκωληκοβρωτος εξεψυξεν
Immediately the angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory. He was consumed by worms and died.
24 ο δε λογος του θεου ηυξανεν και επληθυνετο
But the word of God spread, and more and more people believed.
25 βαρναβας δε και σαυλος υπεστρεψαν εξ ιερουσαλημ πληρωσαντες την διακονιαν συμπαραλαβοντες και ιωαννην τον επικληθεντα μαρκον
Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem once they had finished their mission, taking John Mark with them.
